Infections · 4 min read · Updated October 2026
Tuberculosis: a cough that will not go away
TB is curable, but only if it is found. A cough for more than two weeks, night sweats and weight loss mean you need a test, not more cough syrup.
Clinician review pending This article is awaiting sign-off by a doctor.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection, usually of the lungs, spread when someone with active TB coughs. Africa carries a quarter of the world's cases. It is fully curable with six months of free treatment at government clinics, but untreated it is fatal and spreads to family members.
The signs
A cough lasting more than two weeks is the key sign. Others: coughing up blood or phlegm, fever, drenching night sweats, losing weight without trying, loss of appetite, chest pain and tiredness. TB can also affect lymph nodes (painless neck swellings), the spine, the brain and other organs. In children and people living with HIV the signs can be vague, so a low threshold for testing is important.
Testing
A sputum (phlegm) sample tested with GeneXpert gives a result in hours and also shows if the TB is drug-resistant. Chest X-ray helps where sputum is hard to get. Everyone diagnosed with TB should also be tested for HIV, and everyone with HIV should be screened for TB. Testing and treatment are free in national TB programmes.
Treatment
Standard treatment is four medicines for two months, then two medicines for four months. Take every dose: stopping early is the main cause of drug-resistant TB, which takes far longer to treat. You usually stop being infectious within two to three weeks of starting. Household contacts, especially children under five and people with HIV, should be screened and may be offered preventive therapy.
When to seek help
See a doctor if you have had a cough for more than two weeks, or any cough with night sweats, weight loss or blood. Go to a hospital now if you cough up a lot of blood, are very short of breath, have a severe headache with a stiff neck or confusion, or cannot walk because of back pain and leg weakness.
How Telafia can help
A doctor can assess your symptoms, direct you to the nearest free testing site, explain your results and support you through treatment. Cover your mouth when coughing and open windows until you have been tested.
Emergency numbers
767 works in Lagos State; 112 is the national number. Numbers change: please check locally. If a number does not connect, go straight to the nearest hospital.
Related doctors
Questions about this? A general practice doctor can help today.